Akshay Suri

Calcutta, June 13: Three youths died and three of their friends were injured when a lorry mounted their Mitsubishi Lancer early Sunday on EM Bypass.

The deceased were identified as Satyabhama Mitra, 16, a Class XI student of Pailan World School, Akshay Suri, 19, who used to study in a boarding school in Bangalore, and Zafar Ahmed Khan, 21, a second-year BCom student at Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society.

Police have learnt that Pranay Suri, elder brother of Akshay, was driving the car.

The police said the accident probably took place around 2.45am near Moilakhal culvert, barely a kilometre from Science City and between Silver Spring — where the group had dinner — and Parama Island.

“Apparently, the two vehicles were on the same flank and were coming from opposite directions. It seems the vehicles were at high speed. The two drivers tried their best to avoid the collision but failed,” said S.K Chowdhury, additional superintendent of police, South 24-Parganas.

An officer of Parama Investigation Centre said the south-bound flank was closed after midnight because of piling work for a flyover.

The driver and helper of the lorry, which was moving north, fled from the spot after hitting the red Lancer, which was heading south. Following the collision, the Lancer hit the divider while the truck veered left.

A police team reached the spot in 15 minutes and rescued the injured — Pranay Suri, 20, a BBA student in Mumbai, Meggna Ray Singh 19, a Class XII student of La Martiniere for Girls, and Tushar Hedge 22, Pranay’s friend from Mumbai. But they could not be questioned.

“The survivors are still in shock. It seems the truck hit the left of the sedan and climbed on it before smashing the rear side of the vehicle completely,” said an officer.

The impact of the collision was such that three people were flung out of the car and three were trapped inside.

Akshay and Zafar were declared brought dead at Ruby Hospital while Satyabhama was declared dead on arrival at National Medical College. The condition of Meggna, Pranay and Tushar was stable till late in the evening.

Friends of the deceased said the six had gone to a club for dinner.

“Pranay and his younger brother Akshay came to Calcutta a fortnight ago to meet their parents on summer vacation,” said Vedant Pradhan, a friend of Akshay, who had come to the Suri residence on 63 Ballygunge Circular Road.

Friends had turned up at the Khan residence on 7 Brick Field Lane in Tiljala too. Satyabhama’s body was taken to the family’s 57B Ballygunge Circular Road address.